2015 Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône (11/12/2020)
This is in a good place. Popped and let it sit for an hour to warm up a bit and breathe; no decanter, just in the bottle. Its leans garnet with a shade of violet in the glass, opaque, good legs. The nose is black fruits, a little magic marker, leather, and vanilla. The palate’s smooth. Blackberry and plums on the front, slight funk, leather. Lower side of medium on the acidity and a little hollow there. Velvety tannins on the transition to the back with a nice return to black fruit. finishes fairly dry. Its lighter in body than I would have expected from the glass/nose. Will drink well for a bit. Its missing something on the overall weight that makes me not want to hold these too long. Very enjoyable now.
I buy at least 6 every year, never is a bad wine and worst case is I make shortribs with it. I like the uniqueness of a syrah dominant CDR (as i understand is always 100% syrah). Plus the price can’t be beat.
The 2015 is the standout of the last few years in my book.
Drank the remainder of the 18 after using it for beef burgundy/cotes du rhone…always purple fruited, primary and tarted in it’s youth…but the 5+ hrs of air did bring out more black pepper, smoked meat, bramble, violet florals…very racy and silky. Such a go to CdR that I can grab at the local grocery for $12-13! I just need to buy more to age some out for 5 to 10yrs. Seems like they should easily age 10?
This is a perfect everyday drinker and very affordable for the quality you get. My dad often has these lying around and pulled a '16 in September, I noted that although 14,5% you did not get that alcoholic heaviness, a sign of winemaking quality to me.
